It's Too Late Now
by TaShYrEi
Summary: She was dead. And he was enjoying himself in a new world 500 years later. It was too late to go back. And she could only give him her last goodbye. [Hao x Anna][oneshot]


**It's Too Late Now**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King or its characters. Please don't sue me!_

**OK…Another Hao X Anna fic of mine…Just thought about it some moments ago. I hope you'd like it. And yes, another one-shot drabble. I'm sorry if I haven't updated yet on _A Change of Heart_ because I'm still thinking of what to write. I've got an idea already but I'm still finding a better one, if possible. Read and enjoy (?)**

The streets were filled with neon lights—in shades of blue, purple, pink, green and other wonderful colors. The place was Izumo, but the difference was 500 years later. It had changed—a LOT. It showed great changes, too impossible not to be noticed. Yes, the future that people only dreamed of centuries ago—floating steel metal houses, flying space cars that never needed gas... It had never been the same.

Yet, here she was, standing before the magnificent place she lived in about 5 centuries in the past. Standing—without a body. Yes, she was just a mere spirit wandering by the place of her lifetime. She had been roaming the earth, visiting the places, the splendid places, which her feet could never take her.

She never imagined that this place would grow with much improvement. Suddenly, she saw a familiar face. A boy with long, dark-brown hair. It was her husband's brother, Hao. Her heart, then she remembered—she didn't have a heart anymore—she was just a soul. Something beneath her soul wanted to live again.

Hao was a very powerful shaman. Once, when Anna was still alive, he declared to banish the world from humans, to eliminate them and only leave the most powerful shamans. He could reincarnate himself every 500 years. And here he was, laughing and enjoying himself with—another girl that looked—just like Anna; with blonde hair, fair skin, midnight black eyes. A tinge of self-pity aroused in her, she wanted to have a second chance—to be with the person she truly loved.

And she realized, "I've wasted an entire lifetime living with someone I didn't really wish to be with. That lifetime. How could I be so stupid?"

She was engaged to Asakura Yoh, her fiancé, her husband many, many years ago. She spent her whole life, trying to love him, even though she knew very well that she couldn't. She mustered every ounce of strength and love to show that at least she cared for him, maybe not as a wife, but as a friend.

They were married after they finished college. Even if Yoh was a lazy sloth, he managed to find a job to support them both. They also had a child named Hana. Everyone was happy back then, it seemed that the blessings she got were endless. But she always knew that every single joy would be replaced by tears. And so it happened. Misfortunes struck her one by one. First, Yoh died in a car accident. Next, Hana was infected with a deadly disease that took his life away slowly but in crushing pain. If only she had a thousand lives, she would happily give up all of them—if that would mean to save him. Anna didn't know what to do. She may be a powerful itako but she couldn't solve this. It was just too much. She was, after all, only human. And lastly, like any other mortal, she herself breathed her last. Perhaps it was the only way she could escape all those trials, those problems, those unbearable sufferings.

But even though she died, she could still see Hana struggle in the hands of torture and agony. She thought of herself as a worthless mother. She couldn't even do anything but watch her son shriek in excruciating pain. Finally, they took him away, too. He died after experiencing anguish that he never actually deserved.

Anna continued to blame herself, "It's all your fault, anyway. Yoh, Hana and the others had nothing to do with it. You've got nothing to blame but yourself."

"What's the use? I'm dead anyway."

Anna could still see Hao and the other girl cuddling themselves in each other's arms. How she wished she was the girl receiving that warm hug. Hao kissed the girl he was with. Both of them were sharing such passionate kisses. She was envious. All she wished right now was that she could be in place of that girl, just this once, just this moment and she would happily return to Heaven.

She felt a different thing about Hao. Yoh was that sweet, carefree person who never failed to give a smile—but there was something that only Hao could provide, that not even a million smiles from Yoh could fill. She didn't know exactly what but she could feel it. Her emotions the gave way.

"Anna, what are you thinking? That would never happen. You're dead, remember?"

That obnoxious reality always woke her up from ridiculous dreams. Things that were always beyond imagination. She knew it. She always did. But she couldn't accept the fact that her time has gone past.

Right now, all she could feel was regret. Deep, solid regret. How she prayed that she could turn back time and change all the mistakes she committed. That she could have lived with him—with Hao.

Before, she had been known as the authoritative and dominant itako. She could summon ghosts and spirits with a few movements of her blue beads. Yet now, she couldn't run away from the clutches of death, she couldn't even revive her own soul.

She went on to watching the couple. Hao brought his girl to a fancy European restaurant. Their table was lit with candlelight and the atmosphere was simply romantic. Anna followed them and stood nearby. Her soul desired and thought what it would be like if she was with him.

Of course, she knew the consequences of trailing on them. It only meant her heart breaking—if she did have a heart—and maybe a bit of jealousy.

Something in her wanted to scream. And so she did. She yelled and shouted as tears flowed from her eyes. Besides, she thought, no one would know—she was a spirit.

The night was beautiful, a perfect time for a thing such as this. Hao was indeed, a perfect planner for a dinner.

She wiped away her remaining tears and plainly watched the couple who were sweetly volunteering to feed each other.

A crazy idea hit her. Why not kiss Hao? He wouldn't know anyway. He wouldn't feel it. And it was apparent that if she could do that, her soul would be satisfied and ask for no more.

Anna slowly leaned to Hao's face—expecting that her lips would go through Hao's. But miraculously, it didn't. Strange, she thought. She kissed him with her eyes closed, giving her all for that would be the last time she'd see him. She decided to go back to Heaven—and stay there for all eternity.

Hao closed his eyes that time when Anna kissed him. Weird, it was as if, Hao felt she was there and returned her kiss.

Hao paid the expenses on their dinner and strolled away from the place until they reached a walk with some benches lined up. He sat there together with his girlfriend. He touched her face with his soft hands and leaned closer as he whispered to her ear, "I love you, Anna." There seemed to be something that stung Anna in the heart. How she longed to hear those words from him.

She was still there. Watching them like she was some kind of guardian angel.

"So, she also has the same name as I do?"

"Anna, we better go now. God might become impatient if we make him wait longer."

Yoh was already waiting for her. He would come with her to Heaven.

Anna smiled at the couple but then, a tear slid down her cheek.

"Goodbye, Hao. I guess it's too late now."

Then she took Yoh's hand which he offered to her and together, beautiful, white wings came out of their clothes and they flew off to Heaven.

Hao paused for awhile and looked around. He seemed to have sensed a girl. She was watching them for a long time now. No, maybe it was all in his imagination.

"Hao, what's the matter with you? Have you forgotten my name?"

"Uh, sorry. It's Reka, right?"

"Yeah. You're not having amnesia, are you?"

--OWARI—

_I'm sorry if it's this short but I just wanted to end the fic that way. I almost cried while doing this fic. SO R&R! Flames are welcome, too!_


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